If You Find This

Written by Matthew Baker

Though this story isn’t my favorite, I feel it is an important book to add to any library. Nicholas is a social outcast. He’s a math genius and thinks deep thoughts. With these qualities, it can be hard for an 11 year old to fit in at junior high school. Nicholas’s dad has lost his job and moved away to find work. This means they are selling their house. No one likes to move, but it is especially hard on Nicholas because his younger brother is a tree in his back yard. No, this isn’t a magic book, it is just how Nicholas see things. His parents bought a pine tree when his mom miscarried a little boy. Nicholas “talks” to his brother through music on his violin.

Having no real friends, Nicholas depends on his relationship with his brother for many reasons. At the beginning of the story, Nicholas’s Grandpa Rose gets out of jail and tells him about their family heirlooms. They could be worth a fortune and could be the means of saving the family home and more importantly his brother. With the help of other misfits, Zeke and Jordan, Nicholas begins a journey that leads to more than monetary treasure. “If You Find This” can be hard to get into. There are many math and music references and the book is written that way, ex: “My mom spoke” has “piano” written under “spoke” to infer the loudness of her words. Though this type of writing takes some adjustment, I feel there are students that have been waiting for a book to speak their “language.” Not everyone relates to vampire or super hero books, and all of us have felt like outcasts at some time. This book teaches us to value ourselves, value others, and that some treasures are worth more than money. Great discussion book.